Janet, Rachel, Elizabeth, Dr. Strange and Lupe were walking through the field noticing that not just flowers had appeared there were small insects and the ground had rocks in it. This meant they were on the right track that the walls were coming down but this also meant they were getting stronger and now it would be a battle to break them.
Dr. Strange spoke up, "The next one is magic based but i can already tell it is stronger than the others it seems this choir angel built it a system that the broken magic will send all it can to the ones behind it as it is destroyed. I am going to need more time prepare and shatter these spells." He was already going through all the spells he knew to help this, "I may have to summon something to break it if it gets to powerful."
Lupe was looking around hating this place it felt to nice, "We have taken down 9 of them already I am sure we can finish off the rest." He was annoyed at how his work had been used without his knowledge he even ate dinner with the woman who did it. She had perverted his work made it into something that sickened him he turned her into a puppet with magic and psychic abilities he could have done it himself they did not need this. He thought if the royals had let him do it it would not have been so easily broken.
Janet ignored him it was better for her to do this if she acknowledged him and that he was in her mind it would only make her angry and she needed to stay calm, "I am sure you can do it Steven and whatever you choose I trust you."
Janet once again vanished in a flash of white light a new memory was taking shape was a bit different than the others. Janet stepped out of a bathroom a white robe wrapped around her a grin on her face as she fell onto a large bed covered in the softest sheets and pillows in the world. She wiggled her way up to the top of the bed reaching to grab the remote but stopping for a second getting off the bed and walking over to a table, "Yes this is what I missed!" She opened a box of pizza taking a large slice and eating it she then saw the sushi almost instantly shoving a piece of Tuna into her mouth. She spotted the wine next and quickly uncorked it not even bothering with a glass she just drank it from the bottle. She saw many other of her favorites on the table from cake to...oh my god was that a plate of bacon. She instantly dove into it eating two pieces together. She missed so many things while she was trapped in the microverse it had only been a day since she got back but she was making up for it. She took a long hot shower followed by a warm bath then another shower she got all that grime off her body she built up fighting in a revolt. She grabbed the now half eaten plate of bacon and stacked it full of food and carried it over to the bed. She sat down on it and picked up her remote she turned on the tv and began to catch up on all the shows she had missed. She was going to have her own welcome back Janet night.
Dr. Strange was watching, "This is a life changing memory?"
Rachel shrugged, "It could be I mean look at the date she only just got back a day ago."
Elizabeth was also confused, "But all we are seeing is Janet pigging out and watching tv."
Rachel laughed, "Come on like you have never done that."
Elizabeth sighed, "Yeah but it was never a major memory I mean we watched her die lose her loved ones get hit and all kinds of things then this."
Lupe was also annoyed with this he wanted to know more of Janet's secrets more of her inner most thoughts, "I am sure it will be something none of us expect."
After 8 hours of TV food wine Janet stood up as somebody knocked on her door she went over to it and smiled, "This is what I missed more than anything."
A young woman was standing there with a metal case she was dressed in what looked like medical scrubs and white shoes, "I would have been here sooner but this tower has a lot of security."
"It is okay I understand I am just glad you could come here Amy." She walked with the girl before Janet sat in a chair smiling as she pressed a button the entire thing turning into what somebody would see in a spa, "I am so glad they left my chair in here."
Amy giggled, "I was confused when they told me you were back then I realized a lot of heroes had come back recently so I am just going to go with it." She opened her kit, "So shall we go for the works?"
"Yes please I need to feel like me again...so how is everything going for you?"
Amy smiled, "Well I have a son now and two daughters...all at once."
Janet laughed, "You said you and your husband didn't want kids."
"Yeah but when my sister had hers I realized how much I wanted one and we went for it now I am a mother and I own the company now I bought out my boss two months ago."
"That must have pissed her off, so why did you not send one of your girls I am sure you don't do this as much anymore."
"Janet when I heard it was your name and account that had come up I had to go you were always my favorite customer and it is not every day I get to see a woman come back from the dead to get her nails done."
"Well some zombies like brains I like clean nails." They both laughed and it was another hour of talk before they finished and the two of them were enjoying the leftovers of Janet's feast and watching TV. Then it happened the alarm in the tower went off and Janet looked to Amy and then paused the TV, "It is never really quite here."
Amy looks at Janet and smiles, "So are you going?"
"I am taking some time off so probably not."
"I can see that I mean you just got back," Amy heard running in the halls, "I am sure they can do this with out you."
Janet looked around and her eyes focused on her closet, "Yeah they can." She turned back to the TV with a half smile.
Amy smiled turned the TV off, "Janet...Go I know you want to I know you want to be the wasp again and we need you."
Janet smiled fully and got up running to her closet dropping her robe and pulling out one of her old outfits. It was the one she wore before she vanished it was all black with gold metal plates across the chest, "You are right Amy I cannot just not respond." She slipped into the costume wiggling a bit, "I need to make a few changes to this when I get back." She looked to Amy, "How do I look?"
Amy stood up and hugged her, "Like the hero you always are." Amy suddenly screamed as black tentacles wrapped around her.
Dr. Strange was now in the room, "I summon the demon from the seas of hell, the one who strikes fear into all upon the seas. I bring forth his appendages to grip and tear this spell apart and drag down to your depths, I offer it as food now take this gift and return to hell!"
The tentacles pulled Amy into a black circle surrounded by blue flames that shut instantly once Amy was gone. The flames then exploded outwards and destroyed the memory revealing the new field it was still covered in flowers but now paved roads ran through it as if separating off the years and days. Janet was still smiling, "Now you know what I do after a long mission." She looked around then suddenly she shrank no wings formed on her back and she grumbled a bit before returning to normal size. "I guess that is better than nothing."
Rachel looked at Janet, "How was that a life changing memory?"
Elizabeth hit her, "It is not for us to know."
Janet looked up at the sky, "Because from the time I got back until I put on the costume I was thinking of quitting being a hero I did not want to go back to a life that I could die in. I was terrified of putting that costume on knowing it was what I could die in." She looked down, "I was writing my letter of resignation in my head and then it happened that alarm went off and I just wanted to go be with the team. I wanted to fight I wanted to be part of something great and that little push from somebody so ordinary who knew me only from her job and shorts talk as regular people it made me feel like I had something I wanted to protect. Sure I want to protect those on the avengers and do all I can for them but knowing that there is regular people who look to me for strength well that just makes being the wasp that much more important." She had her arms behind her back a smile on her face that seemed to be brighter then the blue sun that lit up her mind. "Now let's keep going."
Lupe began to walk following her as if he believed in her more than anybody well he believed in her for a reason none could understand. He had seen her at her weakest broken and destroyed and if she could recover like this it just made her more interesting. Yes he had hurt many others in his days with the Royals but Janet she was special she was stronger than he had given her credit for and knew how much she could take and that surprised even him. "Yes let's" He could not wait to get his hands on her again hoping that one day he would be allowed to use his craft on her to find out what it took to break her fully.
Rachel and Elizabeth ran to catch up to Janet, "When we get back can we do a feast like that." Rachel asked innocently, "I mean I have never done something like that before."
Janet put her arms around the girls, "We sure can but I say we make it bigger give me a list of your favorite foods and I will be sure we have everything."
Janet suddenly vanished from between the girls as a new memory suddenly sprung up standing there in the middle of an empty block in new York. Janet was dressed in a black skirt with a purple top under a small black jacket she even hand on sensible dress shoes, "This is it! I bought this entire block!" She spun around, "What do you think?"
Brian stood in the lot wearing grey pants and red shirt and silver tie with black spirals on it, "It is empty."
Brianna laughed she was dressed in a pair of black pants a blue loose fitting blouse and had a silver bow with black spirals on it in her hair. "Think of what it can be Brian. How did you get a whole empty block?"
Janet smiled, "The sewer backed up and wiped it all out they had to pay all the people to move out to new places then they tore it all down and rebuilt it from the ground up. So we have all new power, water and sewer lines beneath us that will save us a fortune because they will put them in to suit us." She shrunk down and flew back over to them, "It is perfect though it is three times the size of a standard block so we have plenty of room."
Brian nodded, "I can see it working how long before we break ground?"
Janet flew up in the air and fired her stingers into the dirt, "We just did!"
Brianna looked up at Janet, "Okay then when do they start building?"
"Tomorrow, I have Reed coming with his building bots and they should have it up in at least two months so we need to start getting people lined up to move in and work for us."
Brian nodded, "I have already lined up a ton of people who are eager to work with you and I have put out the word to fashion schools across the world that you are starting up a full line of clothing and accessories I already got 100 requests for internships."
Brianna stepped forward not wanting to be out done, "Well I should have no problem with getting people I sent out the word to all my friends in the community they are all putting together plans for what they want to research and develop. A few will be bringing entire teams they are also sending this info out to every college, university and tech school in the world. We should have no problem filling all the space you give us."
Janet landed on the ground becoming full sized again, "Then I need you two to go over everything that comes in and decide who we take."
Both of them spoke in unison, "That is a lot of work!"
Janet laughed, "Okay then how about this each of you hires up to four people to help you go through it all and choose the best of them and then we can do an entire interview with each person or group and we can decide from there."
Brianna nodded, "Sounds fair."
Brian smirked pulling out his cell phone and typing rapidly into it, "I have two people ready to come on board we will get started tomorrow."
Brianna grumbled her four would take longer to go through, "I will go meet with a few people over the week and we can get to work by Monday."
Janet was bouncing a bit, "I am so excited I am finally going to have a company of my own."
Brian began to walk around the empty area, "do you have the plans for the building drawn up?"
Janet nodded, "Yes I do it has already been approved by the city."
Brianna was getting excited, "how much space do we each get."
Janet looked at them, "Top 6 floors are my office and a sort of hero community building. Ground floor is all reception one subfloor is parking the rest of the basements is dedicated to work for my super hero adventures. The rest will be divided up as need be I am thinking a seventy thirty split for the rest of the building."
Brian knew exactly why it was split that way labs needed more space especially for bigger projects. "Since the fashion and marketing areas are getting less I want the upper floors."
Brianna was too excited to argue, "Okay sounds good."
Janet looked at them and pulled out three plastic bags tossing each of them one, "I want both of you to take a bag of soil with you and keep it so you remember that no matter what happens you were here from the ground up." Janet knelt down and began to fill her bag watching as Brianna and Brian both began to fill theirs.
Rachel suddenly appeared in the memory sliding her hand into the head of Brian as she did Elizabeth appeared and cut Brianna in half from head to toe. Rachel pulled out a silver was and crushed it instantly. Janet looked up and instantly shrunk flying towards Rachel and Elizabeth ready to fire her stingers but just then the memory vanish. Janet found herself full sized and flying through the air she would hit the ground and begin to skip across it until she hit the wall of a small house. She slowly got up to the sound of gentle laughter, "Okay that kind of sucked." She began to dust herself off looking at the large expanse of houses as if she was in the suburbs she shrunk down and smiled her wings had been reformed and she could fly around with ease, "This is much better and only two more to go." She turned to fire her stingers at Lupe but found she could not use them yet, "well that is a letdown."
Janet suddenly vanished in a flash of white light as did the rest of the world they were in now Janet was sitting in her office. She had all her screens turned off and was looking into the cage she had just bought. It was not a simple cage by any means she had bought the best for him it was probably big enough for two or three pigeons. Inside she had perches and toys for him a small dish of water to drink from and a large one for him to splash around in. She had a tray out filled with seed but her refused to eat it. Janet sighed, "Come on Pete you have to eat." She took some in her fingers, "It is safe." She put it in her mouth and a second later spat it out, "Okay so maybe it isn't." She took the tray out and went over to a plastic bin digging through it until she found a clear plastic bag with the name Lieber mix on it. She began to read the ingredients, "Corn, vecth, milo, millet, safflower seed and oat groats." She looked at it and dumped the store bought seed she got and poured it into the tray. She put the tray back in the cage and heard Pete start cooing as he began to eat it. "I guess you have a refined pallet, remind to call Stan to get the mix formula so I can keep you fed." Pete cooed and lifted his head up trying to flap his broken wing but stopping instantly and hopping to a perch. Janet walked over to the bin again and pulled out another bag, "Pigeon treats?" She looked inside seeing boiled eggs some fruit and a can of tune as well as a list of other ones. Janet pulled out an egg and walked over to the cage holding up the egg. Pete moved back a bit but kept his eyes on the egg obviously wanting it. Janet smiled, "Come on Pete." She held her finger up like a perch holding the egg up in a way that he would have to hop on her finger to get it. Pete stepped forward then hopped onto Janet's finger attacking the egg. Janet smiled and laughed lightly, "See I am not scary I am here to help you." Pete cooed again as if acknowledging her for the first time. "Janet slowly walked away from the cage Pete not caring soon finishing the egg shell and all. Janet was now sitting in her chair with him and he simply hopped into her lap and settled down in it. Janet began to stroke him softly as he cooed and soon fell asleep. "I guess you have accepted me?" She turned on a screen and began to read through a few new proposals for equipment then smirked. She began to type up a letter to send to every person as a healthy competition between them. They would have to use Pete the pigeon as a center for a project something to turn him into a hero. For the fashion department it would be about costumes and promotions for the technology division it would all be about making Pete faster stronger and more awesome. Winning group from each division of Van Dyne Industries would be given a trip to a tropical resort and 1000 dollars for each member of the team. She needed a laugh and wanted to see what they came up with. She sent the letter out as Pete woke up and looked at her cooing wanting more attention.
Dr. Strange was having a hard time with this one he knew how much Pete meant to Janet and that just made it worse when they hid the spell in the bird. He slowly appeared in a corner of the office, "With the mystic light of Nirvalon and the care of Vishanti I cast a light to blind my target." His hand turned yellow as a beam shot out hitting Janet causing her to lose her sight. "With the Fangs of Faralla imbued with the flames of Faltine and the knowledge of Vashanti I cast thee out." He drew a circle in the air of blue flames and reached through it his hand becoming a blue light he shot out towards Pete. The hand went through Pete and came out the other side holding a black Pigeon that began to peck at his hands, "With the strength of the nameless race I crush this dark force never to be seen again!" His hand of light grew to surround the pigeon a second later he crushed the black pigeon and pulled his hand back through the flaming circle his hand letting off steam. "It is done."
The memory vanished and Janet found herself sitting on a bench surrounding her was the familiar skyline of New York yet nothing was there. No people no animals not even an insect could be seen, she could see through a gap in the buildings and knew why a huge dome of stone surrounded this little part of New York. "Okay Steven why did you blind me?"
Dr. Strange sighed and sat beside her, "Because I had to destroy something that you should never see hurt."
Janet nodded then slapped him, "Thank you that was for hurting Pete I don't want any of you thinking you can." She looked at Lupe, "especially you!"
Lupe nodded, "I may torture people but I would never hurt an animal I am not a monster." That was a lie he had hurt animals plenty of them he use to use them in place of people when he was younger they were much easier to get a hold of. He had lost all desire to do that now he found humans much more fun to play with.
Rachel stepped up to Janet, "Let's go this next one feels tough and by the look of Steven's hand it is a mix of both."
Steven looked down, "Yeah this one will need all of us."
Elizabeth smirked "Then we can get you out of here and back to us."
Janet rose to her feet and began to walk, "I just hope it is another nice one lik..." Janet vanished in a flash of white light as did the mental image of New York.
Janet was cuffed to a chair by her hands and feet the gown she wore was torn a bloody barely a piece of clothing any longer it simple covered what it needed too. She was sitting under a bright light with several other red lights pointed at her The room had no windows and just a thick metal door in front of her in a pair of black pants was Anax. He dropped his bag on the ground, "1029 Janet you have killed 1029 people." ((To lesson confusion the Lupe in her memory will once again be called Anax))
Janet looked up her face bruised covered in sweat and tears, "I did not kill them."
Anax laughed, "Yes you do it was you confessions that killed them." He opened his bag and pulled out a metal tube in wrapped in a thick cloth. He slowly opened the lid a thick mist began to spill out of it, "Now then this is a new one just for the special occasion of you hitting 1000 think of it as relief from the heat." He tilted the tube as down and a clear liquid dropped from it striking Janet's right thigh.
It was a small drop but as soon as it Janet's skin she screamed and kicked in the chair it froze her flesh instantly creating large blister a second later, "how does this count as a reward?"
Anax laughed and pressed his thumb down on the blister hard twisting his thumb as he did, "I am using the liquid nitrogen to cool you do you not like it." The blister popped and he pressed hard into the flesh.
Janet clamped her jaw down holding back a scream, "You cannot keep doing this!"
"There you are wrong," He began to pour drop after drop on her skin her thighs her arms and one on her left shoulder. He would then slowly begin press down on each blister grinding his thumb into the sore, "Tell me another method you used to find us."
Dr. Strange glared at the Lupe that had entered with them grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, "I am going to make you pay for everything you have done to her!"
Rachel was holding back Elizabeth who for the first time in so long wanted to forget her promise not to kill wanted to snap it in two and take this man out, "let me go Rachel he deserves to die!"
Rachel agreed deep down she wanted this man to die but they could not kill him he was still useful to them, "Just let it go for now."
Lupe chuckled and placing his hands on Dr. Strange's arms and a second later the wizard fell to his knees, "Do not think your magic can threaten me in such a close range." He pushed strange away walking towards the memory watching it closely. This was the first time he got to see his techniques like this he could see how Janet reacted how she felt as he used each new technique. He could tell how she reacted deep down in her core as if the emotions she felt poured into him and he liked it no he loved it. He loved the taste of the fear of the pain and of the hatred towards him.
Janet was gripping the arms of the chair with her blackened finger nails the pain from them only adding to what Lupe was doing. "I am not going to tell you!"
Anax laughed, "That is a lie Janet you always fold it is just a matter of when." He capped the tube and put it back in his bag before taking out a large syringe with a tiny needle on it. "Now then what you just felt is just the start." He pushed the tip of the needle under the skin of one of the blisters and began to inject it the liquid in. The blister began to pump up then it began to itch and burn.
Janet gritted her teeth it hurt less than a broken bone and she could handle that, "Not much there Anax you must be slipping."
Anax chuckled and began to inject the liquid into all the blisters before he capped the needle, "I am just getting started janet." He put it away and pulled out a roll of tape covering each of the blisters before he put them down and pulled out a second large syringe with a needle, "Tell me of another method Shield is working on to track us."
Janet shook her head, "Never!"
Anax picked pushed the needle through the tape into the blister, "Last chance."
Janet spat at him, "never."
Anax knew that was a sign she was getting close she was stubborn but their time together made her easy for him to read. He pushed the plunger down then pulled the needle out, "I warned you."
Janet screamed loudly as the tap lifted slightly then bubbles began to form under her flesh around the edge of the tape. The two chemicals were reacting creating gasses that had no place to go so they began to separate the top layer of flesh from body. "Screw you!"
Anax did the same to another blister listening to Janet scream and swear every second the liquids would expand more lifting up more flesh. Anax would not stop he had 7 more blisters to inject her screams and shaking not even registering to him he was waiting for those words he knew would come. He reached the last blister, "One left Janet then I up the level." He pushed the needle through the tape into the blister.
Janet gritted her teeth she was going to fight him this time she was going to be stronger than him break him before he broke her, "Never!" She let out a loud scream as Anax pushed the plunger down Janet had to finish this she had to be stronger than this man.
Anax put the cap on the needle and place it back in his bag pulling out two syringes one had a blue cap the other a green one, "Okay Janet you have a choice of needles Janet one will stop all this and I will end the night here the other will cause even more pain. There is also one more choice you can go with tell me what I want to know and I inject you with right needle and we are done."
Janet looked at him thinking for a second if she chose a needle she could win show she was stronger than his games. Yet if she chose wrong she would feel more pain so should she take the easy way out and give up the intel no that wasn't an option it would show she was broken. She took a deep breath, "Green!"
Anax uncapped the needle setting the blue one down so Janet could still see it he then pushed the needle into the blister which was now a section of hanging flesh. "Here we go." He pushed the plunger and a second later Janet screamed. "Guess you picked wrong."
Janet watched as the patch of hanging flesh pumped up and the white skin had turned red with black splotches, "The smugglers you use in Egypt! They have a man inside the operation and he recognized the guns in a shipment!"
Anax was just about to put the needle into the blister on her other thigh and he sighed, "Well then I guess I can end it for now." He capped the green needle, "I will send in the girl in a bit to inject the blue one until then just enjoy."
Janet was crying hard her eyes still focused on the red and black area, "I am going to kill you!"
Anax laughed, "Fine fine I will do it if that will make you happy." He quickly inject each blister the color in the first blister became white, "Oh I almost forgot these also need to breath." He gripped the tape and with a quick jerk pulled the tape up ripping the loose flesh from her skin so she screamed each time. Once he finished Janet hung limp in her seat crying hard gagging each time her eyes fell on one of the area's that now missed skin. Anax picked up his bag putting the needles inside, "1029 and now there will be even more." He left the room as if it was nothing, like this outcome wasn't anything new.
Rachel punched Lupe hard across the face, "You sick bastard!"
Lupe looked up from the ground, "I just did what I was meant to do." He had no remorse no mixed feelings about what he had done it was simple to him he did what he was good at.
Dr. Strange was holding Elizabeth who already had her purple katana formed in her hand, "if I see him outside of this place none of you will be able to hold me back!"
Lupe turned from them without another word, "Just watch I believe we are about to see what you need to destroy."
Janet had been in the chair for what seemed like an eternity before the door opened and walking in was a young woman maybe 18 at most. She looked like an average girl with medium length blond hair and pale blue eyes her skin was a soft white a vertical scar in the center of her neck. She wore a purple and yellow shirt and plain black pants with black shoes, "Hello again Janet." The girl closed the door in her hands she held a blue bag that she set down and took out a spray can, "This may sting a bit." The girl's voice was soft and smooth as if it wasn't even from this earth.
Lupe looked at them, "You better end this before the girl begins to sing or we could all be in trouble."
Rachel stepped in holding out her hands she forced the girl hard against the wall with an invisible force. The girl howled and kicked fighting hard as black and gold wings emerged from her back. Her face became twisted and fanged, "You will not release my hold!" the girls hands became claws as she began to force her way towards Rachel.
Rachel focused hard using all her power to hold the girl as still as she could, "I will hold her Elizabeth get her!"
Elizabeth rushed in shoving her blade into the girls chest, "sorry but I need to let of some steam!" She pulled he sword out and began to slash the girl rapidly across her body each time the blade passed through a limb though it just reattached itself, "what the hell is this thing!"
Dr. Strange floated into the room, "With the crimson bands of cyttorack I bind thee!" The girl's arms and legs flew apart holding her in mid air. "The hook of Hoggoth and chains of Krakkan I pull out that which is evil and impure!" A glowing brown hook with four chains on the back flew into the girls chest then began to pull out a black cloud like mist. "With stone resolve, with wind like grace, blessed by crystals from all the rings of hell and mystic dimensions I form a blade that may sever all control. May this blade slash through the darkness and free us from this curse." He waved his hand as he did Elizabeth's sword began to change a stone line formed on the blade it soon began to grow crystals of hundreds of colors the blade glowing brightly, "I will help keep her still you end this!"
Elizabeth smiled, "With pleasure." She raised the blade up as she did it changed once more the clunky shape took the form she was most familiar with a razor thin katana. She sliced right through the girl who screamed.
"I will be back!" The girl was cut clean in two from her shoulder to her waist inside her was a silver wasp. The wasp began to glow red before exploding the split body slowly began to crack then it splintered into hundreds of tiny shards. Each shard took a color of crystal and disappeared in a flame of the same color.
The memory vanished revealing an entire New York City this time however it was a merger of both metal and concrete and nature. This showed the inner workings of Janet's mind and spirit one of beauty and structure. One of kindness and strength it was as if she was finally herself again.
Janet was standing on top of a building, "Thank you." She turned and smiled looking up at Elizabeth, Rachel and Dr. Strange. "I think it is time we leave this place."
A dark voice spoke up, "Not Yet Janet."
Janet turned around and took a step back, "Who the hell are you."
The voice chuckled, "I am you Janet. The stronger you the one who will never make your mistakes and fall the way you have."
Janet shrunk down and flew towards the voice realizing now that her tower was not in the skyline, "I have this one you four stay out of it." Janet began to fly faster she knew the others were following how could she not this was her mind and she needed to face this last threat beat it with everything she had to finally be free and herself.
